One of the programs we visited was World Vision's music school and the Sounds of Hope youth orchestra, a program that is truly bringing new life to these rural communities and helping to make children's dreams come true.

World Vision U.S. president Rich Stearns and his wife, Reneé, released two new books last week! He Walks Among Us: Encounters With Christ in a Broken World is a book of devotionals, and God’s Love For You is a Bible storybook for kids.

Today, Rich describes the journey of writing these books and his encounters with God during his travels all around the world with Reneé and World Vision.

Tran Thi Mui, a young mother in rural Vietnam, was sad to learn that her first child, Vu Viet Ha, was malnourished. Child malnutrition can lead to reduced mental and physical development as children grow. Aware of this danger, Mui was determined to change her daughter’s situation by continuing to participate in her nutrition club supported by World Vision.

Today, World Vision U.S. president Rich Stearns and his wife, Reneé, are releasing two new books! He Walks Among Us: Encounters With Christ in a Broken World is a book of devotionals, and God's Love For You is a Bible storybook for kids.

Below is "Indoor Plumbing" -- a devotional from Rich about clean water in Ghana and the living water of the Holy Spirit.

When 21-year-old Waed’s contractions spurred her to leave home and see her midwife, she knew she was about to give birth to new life. She didn’t realize that she would also be saving her own. As she was delivering her baby girl, Muna, in a nearby building, a rocket fell on her house. It was destroyed.

With our partner 10x10 and their documentary,Girl Rising, we're aiming to ignite a movement to educate girls around the world. Millions of girls, like Jenneh in Sierra Leone, face barriers to their education. This is Jenneh's story.

“Every morning when my brother used to get ready for school, I used to cry over my fate,” Sabra, now 14, remembers. She would ask herself, “Why am I a girl? I used to think that if I had been a boy then I would have been blessed with the most precious gift in the world – education.”

Last month, Roo Ciambriello and seven other bloggers joined us in Guatemala, visiting World Vision's work there and witnessing child sponsorship at work. Back home now, Roo reflects on her experience and realizes how a simple yes to the trip has become so much more meaningful.

In India, there is a long-standing tradition that women serve men and maintain the home. Many drop out of school; some never venture outside their homes at all.

Through World Vision training programs, women like Jyoti and Khadija receive training in tailoring as well as sewing machines, empowering them to open their own tailor shops and inspire the next generation.

Throughout the month of October, we're turning the spotlight on the Syrian refugee crisis. And we're connecting it to our global #Dreamshare campaign - asking our friends and supporters to visit our microsite and share their dreams for the future of Syria and its people and refugees.

Today, blogger Stephen Brewster shares his dream for the children of Syria: the chance to be creative.

During our Guatemala bloggers trip, we met Alma, a former sponsored child who is now the sponsorship coordinator for World Vision Guatemala! Blogger Caleb Wilde interviewed her about being a sponsored child, her job now, and -- because Caleb is a funeral director -- the preventable causes of child mortality in Guatemala.

There is no need for people to suffer because of filthy water. That's why World Vision, the Clinton Global Initiative, and Procter & Gamble are calling on friends, supporters, and partners to come together for the Flash Flood for Good.

Rich Stearns, president of World Vision U.S., calls us all to make a difference today.

The World Vision bloggers returned home from Guatemala a week ago, having witnessed firsthand how World Vision’s work helps transform the lives of children, families, and communities through child sponsorship. Matthew Paul Turner writes about his prayer during the trip to be able to feel and witness the experience.